Create a Desk Lamp Using Photoshop and Illustrator

Creating mechanical devices from scratch in Photoshop can be a challenging task. In today’s tutorial, we will get some practice by drawing a Pixar style lamp. Let’s get started!

Step 1

Create a new 1000 x 1000 px document, press the Create a New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window. Rename the layer to "Background". Fill it with any color, and double click it to apply a Gradient style with the settings of the following image.

Step 2

Press the Create a New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window. Rename the layer to "noise". With the Rectangular Markee tool (m) select 1/5 at the bottom of your image, fill it with white. Add Noise (Filters > Noise > Add Noise). Follow the settings of the image bellow.

Step 3

With the "noise" layer selected, press Cmd/Ctrl + T to transform it. Press Cmd/Ctrl key and drag the bottom corners like in the image bellow. Hit the Return/ Enter key to apply.

Step 4

With the "noise" layer selected, press the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. With the layer mask thumbnail selected, select the Gradient tool (G) and drag vertically over your "noise" layer to make it transparent at the top.

Step 5

With the "noise" layer selected press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate the layer. Flip the layer horizontally by going to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Change the blend of the "noise copy" layer to multiply.

Step 6

Pressing the Shift key, select the "noise" layer and the "noise copy" layer. Press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge the two layers. Rename the layer to "noise". Change the blend mode to Color Burn, and the Fill to 50%.

Step 7

Now merge the "noise" layer with the one below. To do that, press the Shift key to select both layers and press Cmd/Ctrl + E. So far you should have something similar to the following image.

Step 8

Now go to Adobe Illustrator. With the Pen tool (p) create a shape like the one seen in the image below.

Step 9

Change the color of the shape to white. Go to Effect > 3D > Revolve. Apply the following settings and press OK.

Step 10

Copy (Cmd/Ctrl + C) your revolved shape and paste (Cmd/Ctrl + V ) it into your Photoshop document as a Smart Object. Then press Cmd/Ctrl + T to resize the base of the lamp to 94%. To do that, enter the values at the top of your Photoshop window and Apply the changes.

Step 11

Step 12

With the "noise copy" layer selected, press the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. Make sure the layer mask is selected and press Cmd/Ctrl + I to invert it. Your "noise copy" layer will not be visible.

Step 13

Now we will reveal only the part of the "noise copy" layer that we need, and that is going to become our shadow. With the mask layer selected, select the Brush tool (B) and apply the settings of the following image. Make sure your foreground color is white and paint under the base of the lamp. It is not easy to be precise if you are painting with your mouse, but by pressing the X key you can toggle from black to white or vice versa and paint on the layer mask to hide or reveal your shadow.

Step 14

Duplicate the "noise copy" layer. Change the blending of the "noise copy 2" layer to Color Burn and the Fill to 20%.

Step 15

Pressing the Shift key, select the "noise", "noise copy" and "noise copy 2" layers, press Cmd/Ctrl + G to group the layers. Rename all the layers as seen in the following image.

Step 16

Double click the "Base" layer and apply a Drop Shadow style with the settings of the following image.

Step 17

Right click on the Drop Shadow effect, and click Create Layer. If a window pops up saying "Some aspects of the effects cannot be reproduced with layers!" click OK. You will end up with a "Base's Drop Shadow" layer under the "Base" layer.

Step 18

With the "Base's Drop Shadow" selected, click the Create Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. With the layer mask selected make a gradient to hide the top of the shadow.

Step 19

Duplicate the "Base" layer. Click the Create Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. Press Cmd/Ctrl + I to invert the layer mask. Change the blending mode to Color Dodge and the fill to 50%. With the Brush tool (B) paint on the layer mask with white color to create a highlight on the upper part of the base.

Step 20

With the Pen tool (P), create the center pieces of the lamp. Create groups, rename and organize them as seen in the following image.

Step 21

Step 22

Right click layer "1" and select the Copy Layer Style. With the Shift key pressed to select multiple layers, select layers 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, right click over one of them and select Paste Layer Style.

Step 23

With layer "1" selected, press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Double click the"1 copy" layer and apply a Gradient Overlay with the settings of the following image. Set the Fill of the layer to 0%.

Tip: If you click and drag your mouse over the document while the Layer Style window is open and Gradient Overlay setting is selected, you can move your gradient.

Step 24

Double click layer "3", uncheck Color Overlay, and add Gradient Overlay with the settings of the following image.

Step 25

Select layer "2". Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Select the "2 copy" layer, right click it and select Clear Layer Style. Double click the "2 copy" layer to apply a new Gradient Overlay with the settings of the image below. Remember, you can drag the gradient.

Step 26

Select layer "4". Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Select the "4 copy" layer, right click it and select Clear Layer Style. Double click the "4 copy" layer to apply a new Gradient Overlay with the settings of the image below. Remember, you can drag the gradient.

Step 27

Select layer "5". Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Select the "5 copy" layer, right click it and select Clear Layer Style. Double click the "5 copy" layer to apply a new Gradient Overlay with the settings of the image below. Remember you can drag the gradient.

Step 28

Select the "5 copy" layer. Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Select the "5 copy 2" layer, right click it and select Clear Layer Style. Double click the "5 copy 2" layer to apply a new Gradient Overlay with the settings of the image below. Remember, you can drag the gradient.

Step 29

Under the "base" group create a new group and name it "HEAD". Create another group inside the "HEAD" group and name it "Tube". With the Pen tool (P), inside the "Tube" group, draw the "tube" shape, and apply a Gradient Overlay to it with the settings of the following image.

Step 30

Select the "tube" layer. Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate it. Select the "tube copy" layer, right click it and select Clear Layer Style. Double click the "tube copy" layer to apply a new Gradient Overlay with the settings of the image below. Remember, you can drag the gradient.

Step 31

Create a new group inside the "Tube" group and name it "TOP". Place it under the "tube" layer. Create a shape like the one in the image below. Change its color to 8c8c8c. Rename it to "topTube."

Step 32

With the Pen tool create another shape under the "topTube" layer and name it "topTube2". Double click the "topTube2" layer and apply a Drop Shadow with the settings of the following image.

Step 33

Right click the Drop Shadow effect on the "topTube2" layer and select Create Layer. This will create a new layer named "topTube2's Drop Shadow". Select the layer "topTube2's Drop Shadow" and click the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. With the layer mask selected press (G) to select the gradient tool and drag diagonally over de shadow layer to hide the bottom part of the "topTube2's Drop Shadow" layer.

Step 34

Double click the "topTube2" layer to apply a Gradient Overlay with the settings of the following image.

Step 35

Go Back to Illustrator. With the Pen tool and create a shape as the one seen in the following image. Make sure you make exactly the same amount of anchor points.

Step 36

With the Rectangle tool (M) create 16 rectangles as seen in the image below. Select the 16 rectangles and drag them to the Symbols window to convert them to a symbol.

Step 37

Select the shape you made in step 35 and change its Fill color to white. In the menu go to Effect > 3D > Revolve and press the More Options button and apply the settings of the following image. Inside the 3D Revolve Options window, press the Map Art button. Select surface 4 and place the symbol you created in the previous step. Move and resize the symbol to match the following image. Press Ok on the Map Art widow and press OK in the 3D Revolve Options window.

Step 38

Select the revolved object you just created and copy it (Cmd/Ctrl + C). Go back to your Photoshop document and paste it (Cmd/Ctrl + V) as a Smart Object. Place it inside the "HEAD" group, under the "Tube" group.

Step 39

Let's now create the joints of the lamp. On top of the group "PIECES" create a new group and name it "JOINTS". Inside the "JOINTS" group create two other groups named "Joints" and "Metal Joints". With the Ellipse tool (U) create the circles for the joints. Look at the image below for reference. Place the green circles inside the "Joints" group, and the red ones inside the "Metal Joints" Group.

Step 40

Double click one of the red circles and apply the Drop Shadow, Bevel and Emboss and Color Overlay styles. Apply the settings of the following image. Right click the layer of the circle to which you applied the styles and select Copy Layer Style. Select all the other layers with red circles, right click one of them and select Paste Layer Style.

Step 41

Double click one of the green circles and apply the Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Outer Glow, Bevel and Emboss and Color Overlay styles. Apply the settings of the following image. Right click the layer of the circle you applied the styles to and select Copy Layer Style. Select all the other layers with green circles, right click one of them and select Paste Layer Style.

Step 42

Select the "PIECES" group and drag it to the Create New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window to duplicate it. Place the "PIECES copy" group under the "HEAD" group. Open the "PIECES copy" group and delete groups "2" and "5".

Step 43

Select the "PIECES copy" group and press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge the group. Press Cmd/Ctrl + T to transform it. Drag the center top handle until the height of the layer is 97%. Press the Enter / Return key to apply the transformation.

Step 44

Step 45

Select all layers and groups from "JOINTS" to "PIECES copy" and press Cmd/Ctrl + G to group them. Rename your new group to "Lamp." Drag the "Lamp" group to the Create New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window to duplicate it. With the "Lamp copy" group selected press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge the group.

Step 46

Hide the "Lamp copy" layer. Press Cmd/Ctrl and click on the thumbnail of the layer "Lamp copy" to make a selection of the lamp. Press the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window, and select Hue/Saturation. Enter the settings of the following image on the adjustments window.

Step 47

Press Cmd/Ctrl and click on the thumbnail of the "Lamp copy" layer again to make a selection of the lamp. Press the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window, and select Levels. Enter the settings of the following image on the adjustments window.

Step 48

Select the "Lamp copy" layer. Press the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window, and select Hue/Saturation. Enter the values of the following image. Press Cmd/Ctrl + I to invert the layer mask (to black). Select the Brush tool (B) and paint with white on the mask to darken the bottom part of the base of the lamp. It does not matter if you paint outside the lamp; we are going to remove that.

Step 49

Press Cmd/Ctrl and click on the thumbnail of the "Lamp copy" layer again to make a selection of the lamp. Press Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + I to invert that selection. Make sure that your background color is black. Press the Delete key to erase to black the part of the adjustment layer that is outside the lamp. Select the three adjustment layers, press Cmd/Ctrl + G to group them, and rename the group to "Adjustments."

Step 50

On the menu go to Window > Paths to open the Paths window if it is not open. Press the Create a New Path button at the bottom of the Paths window. Select the Pen tool (P) and draw a shape where the light should be. See the following image for reference. Cmd/Ctrl + Click on the thumbnail of the path to make a selection.

Step 51

With the selection made, go to the Layers window and press the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window. In the Adjustment window enter the values of the following image.

Step 52

Let's make the springs. Go to Illustrator; select the Ellipse tool (L). Click and drag with the Shift key pressed to make two circles. Select one of the circles. On the menu go to Effect > 3D > Revolve. Apply the settings of the following image. Select the second circle and apply a Revolve effect, also with the settings of the following image. Position them so that it looks like one piece. See the following image for reference.

Step 53

Select the two circles and press Cmd/Ctrl + G to group them. Press Alt/Option + Drag the group and duplicate it until it looks like a long spring. Select the spring and copy it (Cmd/Ctrl + C).

Step 54

Go back to Photoshop and paste the spring (Cmd/Ctrl + V) as a Smart Object. Rename the layer to "SPRING."

Step 55

Right click the "SPRING" layer and select "Rasterize." Go to the menu and select Image > Adjustments > Levels. In the Levels window press the Auto button. That will make the spring look more metallic.

Step 56

With the Polygonal Lasso tool select the part of the spring that you want to remain visible, and press the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window.

Step 57

Press Cmd/Ctrl + J to duplicate the spring. Right click over the layer mask of the "SPRING copy" layer and select Delete Layer Mask. Press Cmd/Ctrl + T to rotate and reposition the layer. With the Polygonal Lasso tool select the part of the spring that you want to remain visible. Press the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window.

Step 58

Let's make the light on the floor. Select the "Background > Floor > Shadow" group and drag it to the Create New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers window to duplicate it. Press Cmd/Ctrl + E to merge the "Background > Floor > Shadow copy" group. Press the Add Layer Mask button at the bottom of the Layers window. Press Cmd/Ctrl + I to invert the layer mask. Change the blend mode of the layer to Linear Dodge (Add) and the Fill to 60%. Select the Brush tool (B) and paint on the layer mask with white where you want the light to be.

Schooled in the fine arts, Diego Monzon has over 10 years of experience as a freelance designer. Although he is passionate about all aspects of design, he has developed a knack for creating attractive user interfaces. To learn more about Diego Monzon , follow him on Twitter or check out Diegomonzon.com.